Snake of the Underground
by WolfEnchantess
Summary: She's different, unlike anyone they've ever met but misunderstood and in need of help from the unlikely after running for her life in the Nevada desert. Another of Cybertronian origin searches for those from her home planet, but Autobot or Decepticon? The story speaks for itself. Rated T for language.
1. Prologue

-Prologue-

A school bell rang for first period to start in Jasper, Nevada, in turn resulting in a flood of children to erupt intothe overcrowded hallway. They pushed and shoved, as if it would be the end of the world shoud any of them be late for their next period. Couldn't any of them slow down long enough to see just how short life was? To see just how lucky they were to go home to loving families, or hang out with a favorite crowd of friends after the day ended?

Amber gold eyes watched these students, long lashes blinking as their aura's flew by her in a blur that only she seemed to see. One student's grandmother urged him to hurry, but of course he couldn't hear her; she was dead after all. Dark brown hair swished with each long stride of the lean legs walking through the hallway. The people who were alive avoided her at all costs while those who were dead came to her, screaming and trying to get their voices heard.  
After a little bit between the normal noise and over crowding voices it becomes too much, causing her to hurry on. They scrambled out of her way, or another would pull someone from the path of her hurried steps. What was there to be afraid of? Was it her oddly colored eyes? Dark skin? The way her face was always set to serious expressions? She couldn't help it there was nothing in her life to really smile about.

Shoving the door to the classroom open her tall, lean frame sat in a seat by the window. No one had ever offered to be her friend, not even when she was little. Taunt muscles stiffened when an invisible figure slammed itself into the window with a spine tingling scream. Something the girl was use to. She never showed fear, or any emotions for that factor if her face could prevent it. Her legs crossed, the bare skin of the torn jeans knee rubbing the material a little.  
Callused hands drew the jacket closer around the slim body, zipping it further to prevent a view of any scarred skin beneath. Her long, dark hair carefully fell to hide the destinctive snake tattoo. Not a gang symbol, but a trademark of her own wanting. It was a warning to those underground who knew of her, so most with those kind of families in this school stayed clear. A drop of rain hit against the window, making her eyebrows raise. Tonight's job would be dangerous.


	2. Chapter 1

Jack, Miko and Rafael stood outside the school, waiting for Bulkhead and Bumblebee to arrive and pick up the other two kids.  
"Ah come on Jack, seriously you're going to actually watch us? " Miko protested, crossing her arms as the older boy sat astride Arcee,  
" Um..actually he has to watch you Miko" Raf corrected, his thumbs holding the straps of his backpack.  
" Pfffffttt Whatever! Its not like I'll do anything!".  
"Last time we left you alone here at the school Miko you ditched after school detention to get burgers" Jack inquired, his expression shifting to impatience as his blue eyes scanned around the parking lot. Where could the two autobots be? There was only two other vehicles in the whole parking lot besides Arcee.  
The sound of doors opening caught all their eyes, the three sets moving to watch a tall form come from the doorways. She was tall, just shorter than Jack probably by an inch or two, with long dark brown hair that came to her hips and shagged red tipped bangs. Her expression from what they could see was completely blank, her bangs covering most of the right side of her face so it obscured their vision. A black jacket, worn jeans and black boots covered the rest of her skin so the description of her was vague in the least.  
" Who is she...?" Rafael asked, furrowing his brows in confusion towards this new face. Even though he went to the same school the younger boy had never seen her before in the building.  
Jack furrowed his brows. He knew her from somewhere, was she one of his classmates? Miko shrugged her shoulders, but even so all three, four counting Arcee, continued to watch as the girl strided to her car till the vehicle had left the parking lot and driven out of sight. Miko shivered.  
" Anyone else feel a little creeped out?" she asked, looking to all three of her friends. Each looked from her then to one another.  
"She certainly had a presence..Jack do you know her? She looked about your age" Arcee asked,her front wheel slightly moving with her inquired question.  
"Now that I think of it..I think so. I hadn't really noticed her before but now thinking back she's just really quiet. I don't think I've ever heard her speak to anybody..or even seen her hang around with a friend" Jack replied, slipping his helmet on when the sound of Bumblebee and Bulkhead's motors came intot the parking lot.  
"Yeesh, from the sounds of it she's bad news" Miko stated with the shake of her head, hopping off the sidewalk to march to her awaiting friend.  
"Watch it Miko, don't judge a book by its cover" Arcee warned but the teen had already shut the heavy truck's door.  
" I'm sure she's not that bad" said Raf, whom hopped into the camaro's awaiting open door with the general beep of greetings only he seemed to understand.  
Thinking this over, Jack turned Arcee around to follow the others towrads the deserts of Jasper Navada. The drive was long but at the same time gave the boy time to his thoughts, that is until Arcee spoke up.  
"Something on your mind Jack?" she asked, turning a curve on the winding roads. The desert was full of twists and winding roads which gave the perfect thrill for those whom would race and test their limits on the loose dirt. It'd been a while since any decepticons had attacted, or stirred any trouble at all so the Autobots had been able to relax their wary structures for at least a little while.  
"Just...thinking about that girl, and how different she seemed" he replied, voice sounding distant, in deep thought. He'd noticed her a few times, but she was like a ghost a phantom.  
"Oh..?" the motorcycle questioned, also having found the stranger a but odd. Even with what she had said to Miko there was certainly something off about the tall girl they had seen walk so darkly to her vehicle..as if she were dreading something.  
"Yeah...it must be nothing though. I mean she's just like any other student there with her own story ya know?" Jack said as the three vehicles turned to head into the Autobot's base. As usual in the large structure, Ratchet was waiting by the computers, staring at the screens in case any activity were to pop up.  
" Find anything on the scanners Ratchet?" Bulkhead asked, transforming into the bot form after letting his charge climb from his vehicle mode. His heavy body took a few steps towards the Mech who stared so diligently towards the screens.  
"Nothing yet..but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be at our best in case something were to turn up" the older autobot replied sternly as usual, pressing a few buttons.  
The doors to the chambers the Autobots stayed in opened for their leader to enter, smokescreen trailing behind him. "Ratchet is right, we must stay on guard in case this quiet leads to a storm of decepticon attacks." he stated, stern but ever calm was Optimus Prime in his normal state of mind.  
"I still don't like this..its just been too quiet lately" Raf said, setting laptop up within the mainframe of the state of the art computers Ratchet was monitoring. With the exception of a few of them even with this breakin attacks it had them all on their toes ready for anything to happen.  
" I'm going to go out on patrol, contact me immediately should anything go wrong" Optimus said firmly, transforming down into his vehicle mode to drive through the tunnel out into the awaiting desert where the sun was starting to set.


	3. Chapter 2

"So...you really thought that you could just slip by us didn't you?" his voice was rough, hoarse and smelled intensely of the drugs he'd most likely just inhaled before they'd captured me.  
I didn't speak, a if I could at the moment. My hands were bound, and hung above my head on a chained hook, nor could I see for a cloth tied tightly over my eyes. At the moment I was immensely angry. My body was in pain from the injuries I'd been dealt only just a few minutes earlier, adding a few possibly broken ribs, bruises and cuts to the countless list. How many scars would I come home with tonight if I wasn't found lying in a ditch somewhere? I couldn't have been dangling too far from the ground since his breath was rolling right into my ear. Nasty, rotten and disgusting.  
" So..what will we do with her?" a more gruff, deep voice from what I guessed the back corner of the room. My ears perked, being sure to memorize each voice within the room. I wasn't one for vengence, but I knew more than a few people who could make these people regret they'd ever laid a hand on me. If only they would leave the room.  
"We'll make her regret the day she was ever sent here to recover those guns I stole from her precious boss.." he circled me, his footsteps sounding in my ears, " Just know that you'll die happy tonight sweetheart~".  
My lip curled in disgust, instinctively slinging my leg around. I smirked when it came into direct contact with someone, glad that I wasn't quite losing my touch. He cursed, unhappy that I had stuck his pretty little behind.  
"Bitch" he cursed, a hard hit coming into direct contact with my jaw. It cracked a little, bringing the taste of crimson into my mouth. Pain, something that only further made my anger rise towards the current situation. His drug filled growl rolled through the room as his voice barked orders that more work needed to be done, he would deal with me later.  
Once I heard the door and all the footsteps disappear from the room I took a breath and began to lift my feet from the floor. I gritted my teeth, the pain rolling through my body horribly to the point any normal person would have probably screamed of agony. I'm pretty sure by now anyone would figure out that I'm not normal. Sucking in a breath I was finally able to roll my feet up to grip around the chain and begin to try and unhook my hands. It took a few tries but the moment my hands came free my feet slipped, the hook catching on the muscle of my calf then to make things worse my impact with the floor knocked the wind rom my lungs. Cracks from my bones giving protest really didn't help me out any either.  
Despite the lack in air I brought my hands up to rip the blindfold and mouth gag from me. I glanced around the room. Nice and fancy with a big window and drapes to boot. I gathered my breath, resisting any coughs or noises that would give my freedom away. I couldn't afford to let the pain get to me now, my teeth working to untie the bounds which finally worked free and were disguarded to the carpeted floor.  
A small sound outside the door sent me scrambling to my feet, where I found it wasn't so eay to stay on my feet. Several beatings to my legs and the cut I'd just acquired limited my movement but at this moment it was due or die and I wasn't about to let this lowlife be the one to kill me _or _take my virginity. I ran towards the window or rather limp-sprinted as fast as I could only to find the damn thing was locked _from the outside. _  
'Who in the hell locks their windows from the outside?!' I thought, looking around the room frantically for an escape, _any escape at all. _ Setting my jaw I marched over and grabbed a heavy table which I drug over to set under the handle of the door, after doing this I took hold of an iron pick from the stone fire place and swung it against the glass window like a baseball bat. The point was get in, get out without being noticed but obviously that wasn't going to happen at this point. Apparently the sound of breaking glass did draw some attention as the sound of hasty footsteps made my scramble for freedom intensify while my injured body drug itself over the shards.  
My attention then found that my idiot self hadn't quite thought through how I was going to get down. Two stories wasn't that big of a drop was it? I took in a breath, jumping at the sounds of my baracade being rammed from the outside. Think think think Blood think! You're Arice, Snake of the underworld! You didn't get that name for nothing! Thinking quickly the sudden thought of, fuck it, came to mind and finally I just started clinging for my life to the stone walls of the large house. Climbing down a large house with a body full of injuries and bare feet wasn't exactly my idea of a lovely weekend.  
I tried to keep steady breathing, hearing the door being busted down. I figured my little baracade wouldn't last too long but at least it gave me a little time to get away. By the time I heard their shouts from the room, obviously noticing the busted window, I was already taking to the undercover of the brush around the estate to make my way towards the far wall where a small hole was waiting for me to make my escape. I found my breathing starting to labor from the overexertion of energy I just did not have at the moment for the bleeding, bruises, possibly broken bones...I'm sure you can do the math.  
I was able to wriggle my small body through the hole, which gave the cance to make my desperate sprint across the desert's dark plain. There was no moon, a good and bad thing for a situation such as this. Good, because the blokes trying to shoot couldn't see where I'd disappeared to. Bad...because I couldn't see where in the hell I was going! My lungs burned, my body as screaming in agony begging me to stop and my vision was starting to go blurry. Where was I going...? I couldn't remember which way the road had been when I'd arrived, nor could I even seem to get my footing. Why wouldn't my body do what I wanted it to?  
I was going down fast, my body couldn't handle anymore pushing to go forwards. It needed rest. The spirits roared their moans, and calls in my ears; drowning out any other sounds I could have possibly heard to help me, replaying over and over through their deaths in my head like a broken record. I stumbled, losing feeling throughout my whole system as my vision finally went black;falling hard to my knees before the entire being that was me came to fall against the cruel ground finally. Just a little rest..then I would try to get back up in a little bit if I wasn't eaten by coyotes.


	4. Chapter 3

The night was cool and perfect for a drive through the desert. The large rig enjoyed having time out here by himself even though at the same time he was content with the comany of his friends. However though, he often found himself lonely and yearning for the ompany of another beneath his sensor nodes. The thought was quickly shaken from his head. There was no time for thinking such things at a time like this one.  
Optimus Prime was not known for such things, always calm, stoic and ready for the next battle Megatron may throw his way. The thoughts of being sparkbound to someone was something unwanted within the wiring mind of the Prime. Instead he concentrated his headlights on the dirt path before him. Dusk rolled beneath his finders, the sounds of coyotes howling in the distance..it was peaceful out here.  
Movement suddenly caught the rig's attention, his brakes slamming whenever a body suddenly fell into the road just a few yards ahead barely giving the large truck time to stop. Luckily for both of them his front bumper came within just a few feet of the unconscious human's head. A human..and a female to beat all. Transforming up the robot gently took the unconscious body into his large servos. She was beaten up, covered in blood and most likely in dire need of medical attention.  
What was he to do? The autobot couldn't just simply drop her off at a hospital and leave, nor did Optimus have the spark to leave the female out here in the middle of the desert. It was dangerous. Making up his mind, the Prime gently placed her within his chest cavity which doubled into his front seats once transformed down into vehicle mode. Agent fowler would more than likely have a few words to say about this but Optimus could turn a blind sound receptor to the human's harsh words.  
Once his wheels were on the ground Prime hurried back to base with his find. With luck the female wouldn't wake and Agant Fowler could have her placed safely within a hospital in the city and she wouldn't have to find out the strange secrets lying beneath the canyons of Navada. She was so broken, bloody and covered in dirt from no doubt running desperately through the desert with no way of knowing where her legs were leading her.  
Such cruelty these creatures showed towards one another. It was a pity really. Optimus couldn't help but think about several news reports hed heard from Ratchet about robberies and murders among even their own kin. Even so, it was their duty to protect such beings from an even more greater fate from the decepticons. Upon entering into the base Optimus was greeted by his fellow Autobots as usual.  
" See anything interesting while out of patrol Optimus?" Ratchet asked, raising an eyebrow towards their leader who seemed to be acting strangely at the current moment. Perhaps he needed his energon level was low.  
" Actually..I ask that none of you be alarmed.." he stated, opening his chest cavity to reach into.  
Even though this was their leader, the other Autobots went on guard, metal parts tensing and ready for anything he may pull out but to thier utter surprise what he pulled into the light of their optics was an injured human girl. Fowler was going to have a cow when he saw this.  
"Optimus why have you brought a human girl here? Agent Fowler gave strict orders not to involve anymore civilians" Ratchet chastised, even though his optics still stayed on the fragile body lying in the large bot's servos.  
"I found her lying on the road not a megacycle away from here...her injuries I fear may be severe however I couldn't take the risk of turning her in to a hospital" the Prime replied in earnesty, looing down towards her broken and beaten body once again.  
A multitude of beeps and buzzes came from bumblebee, drawing the group's attention. They listened, Optimus in turn nodding his head towards the warrior scout.  
" Should Agent Fowler come before she wakes I will ask for him to transport her to a medical building but until then she will have to remain here" the leader stated, walking past them to place the limp body along the old couch.  
Having been too short to see the identity of the human they spoke of Arcee had patiently waited until the larger bot placed the body down, but now upon seeing her the blue optics widened towards the familiarity of this girl.  
"Optimus! I know this human!" She exclaimed, looking in the direction of the other robots whom stared back in curiosity and patient wait for her to continue, " I sw her walk out of the school while we were waiting earlier today for Bulk and Bumblebee..I think she's a classmate of Jack's".  
Hearing this new developemnet the rest of them looked to one anothe then back to the one laying on the couch. Living in a small town had its perks they supposed.  
" She doesn't much look like any other student at that school does she?" Bulkhead stated, scratching the top of his head in thought. He knew that alot of the kids that went to that school could be involved in some pretty dangerous stunts but he hadn't thought anything like this could happen to any of them.  
" No..so we'd better keep an eye on her. No telling what she could get into should the human wake up and startle at seeing us" Ratchet pointed out, turning back to his scanners , " I'll go ahead and call Fowler, he'll know what to do in this sort of situation". The rest of the crew could only raise their eyebrows towards Ratchet then direct their optics to their leader whom was nodding in agreement. Possibly his first judgement on not calling in the government human was something to second think.  
The rest of the crew looked towards the beaten body strewn across the couch. It was indeed a difficult thought to think that the humans could do this to their own kind. She was barely moving and from what they could see, hardly able to take a breath. Bulkhead looked to the others then towards their leader, thinking of if that had been Miko, Jack or even Rafael. The sound of the transporter opening caught their attention, all optics watching as Agent Fowler strode out into the room.  
" What in the name of Uncle Sam has possessed you in waking me up at-" he started to insult, then the sight of the injured girl caught his eye, enraging the human further, " Prime! What have I told you about involving civilians!". This was something the Agent did not currently wish to see. Three human kids getting involved was already a hassle but another?  
" Hey calm down! He found'er on the road in the middle of the desert. And besides she hasn't even woken up yet" Bulkhead spoke up, stepping forwards for his leader's defense. Fowler already had enough bearings to gripe at them all the time.  
"Bulkhead is correct...she was lying out in the desert with possibly serious injuries. I was not about to leave her there in such a state" the taller autobot said, stepping closer to address the agent.  
"Then you should have contacted me sooner! I could have had emergency squads out there in no time which would have left us without the huge risk of- " his voice was cut off by another, full of irritation and at the same time pain. " Would you _shut up _already".


	5. Chapter 4

Can't I get even a little break? My body still screamed at me in pain even in the sleep I had been in, but it was worse now that someone had rudely started to yell. There were other prescences where I was, though I could barely bring my eyes to open at the current moment. His voice, whoever it was, was irritating me even further than I already was. " Would you _shut up_ already" I snapped, my voice coming out dark and authoritive. Even with the protesting wounds, I forced myself to sit up.  
It took me a moment though, to realize I was no longer lying in the heated dirt of the Nevada desert and that I was in fact sitting on a couch surrounded by metal. My brows furrowed, eyes first going to the colored man in a suit looking non too happy with seeing me awake. Although when my eyes came to rest on giant robots standing in the oddly large building I thought my eyes were going to bug out of my head.  
"Great, just great! What am I going to do now that she's awake and seen you?" he exclaimed, arms flailing out. Was I dreaming? I had to be dreaming. Then again, I'd seen some pretty weird shit in my lifetime so this shouldn't have really surprised me that much. I expanded out my energy, looking to each one of the larger beings through the room. Robots? No, their minds seemed too human-like to just be robots...they were alot more intellegent too. This was another one of those things that science wasn't going to solve.  
I forced my body to attempt to stand, clentching my teeth and resisting making any sounds of agony. Truthfully I was still far from healing and it probably wasn't the best thing for me to be moving about at that very moment but that was the last thing on my mind right then. I stared up at them, my mouth gaping slightly. Possibly I should have been feeling utter fear at that moment but with all the crap I'd ever been through it would take alot even with such massive beings there to make me feel truly afraid.  
" I don't think that you should be walking around..." the man advised, trying to reach for me, but instincts let me dodge around the hand so easily it was if I'd never moved. My eyes stayed on the Bots, a slight limp in my step til I could balance myself against the metal bars. There were all together six standing there starring down at my much smaller form, they're mechanical eyes watching my every movement.  
" Do...I wanna know just what I'm looking at right now?" I spoke for the first time, my voice low and hoarse with a slight cough after. Really until now I hadn't bothered with the thought of how I'd gotten here; one of them had brought me here and quite possibly could have saved my life. The tallest being, decored in blue, red and chrome, stepped forwards which left him to be towering over me.  
" I found you lying in the deserts not far from here.." he stated with a rumbling deep voice, "You were unconscious, so I brought you here from any dangers that may lie within the desert". From the sense of authority he was their leader. My mind, though drained of power and weak, seemed to let itself expand out and get a better feeling of things. He was wise, honorable, someone jut about anyone could trust and stand up to even to a fault. Already he had my respect.  
"Thank you.."I replied to the best I could so I wasn't hard to understand, " I owe you my life". It was sad to say but I did, as if I really needed to be indebted to someone and live a lifestyle like mine. From the feel flowing through the room though these...beings..they were good,like their leader. He ran a good crew here.  
He gave a nod of the head, looking back to the man in he suit who'd stood there quietly after my ignoring him. I looked back also, drawing in a breath which was still shaky and odd. That's right, I was in their domain..which meant they had to determine what they were going to do with me now. At the moment though I wasn't up to a fight.  
"Yeah, that's good an all but I want to know what you plan to do now Optimus, she's aphiliated with you now" the man stated, walzing up to stand tall in front of the robot being. The taller seemed to think on it a moment before this man in a suit sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. " Nevermind, we'll think of that later...we'll get her to a hospital then-".  
"-No!" I exclaimed out of nowhere, a break coming into my voice from the sudden outburst. They all stared in my direction, brows furrowed at the suddenness. I cleared my throat, brushing back my most likely frazzled hair some. " I...don't need to go to a hospital", I said lower, more normal in tone.  
"I hate to interupt but from the looks of things in human standards I would say you do need to" a more female looking robot spoke up, being the shortest from the rest of them. I tightened my jaw. I needed to get back into my room.  
" I'm fine..a little bandages here and there and I'll be running around again" I said sternly, looking towards the man with my back straightened. His eyebrow seemed to raise in surprise, whether it be for the fact I was possibly severely injured or the possibility that my tattoo might have been exposed. Great that's all I needed. Again he seemed to sigh before looking to Optimus.  
" Find somebody to take her home. I think you know what happens from here"he stated sternly before turning to march back into the elevator where it carried him back up to lord knows where. I turned back to the large robots in thought. How the hell were they going to get me back to my house when they were bigger than two put together?  
" Smokescreen...see that she gets home safely" the larger one, I think it was Optimus, told to a white looking bot not far from the rest. He looked and felt young, more youthful than the rest but not entirely stupid.  
"No problem" he said with a small salute before walking over to the panel I stood on , " Come on kid, hop in". Before my eyes what I thought t just be a robot, transformed down into an indy 500 sports car. My eyes widened in surprise, making me lean on the bar mor for support. Ok was that suppose to happen? Shaking from my shock I looked to the stairs I would have to climb down, dreading the movements it would have to take.  
As if seeing the dread on my expression Optimus offered a generous hand to me which I gladly hefted myself to sit upon till hopping off beside the open door of the car. It was nothing less than painful, but I was eventually able to sit in the passenger seat for the door to close. I was amazed, speechless even, by all of these events. Maybe I'd been drugged and this was all a strange hallucination which would be over when I finally woke up. Looking out the window I watched as the rest of them watched the car leave through a metal port. 


	6. Chapter 5

The ride through the desert was long, even though the car that was currently driving me there was made to go over 200 miles per hour. I was surprised these things followed the speed limit, then again they haad to blend in somehow. I watched the scenery pass by outside the window with blank interest. I was still in plenty of pain and just wanted to get a shower and some sleep.  
" So who beat you up?" the voice of the bot came through a blinking symbol in the middle of the steering wheel which sort of startled me.  
" Its not important" I stated in reply, crossing my arms and legs to press against the door of the vehicle uncomfortably. How the hell could this thing still talk in a vehicle mode? Pushing the confusing thought from my mind I directed my eyes back to the darkened scenery before me. In the distance though I could plainly see dawn beginning to break over the horizon, telling me it had to be nearly 5 in the morning.  
" You're beat up pretty bad...you sure you don't want to go to a hospital or something?" he asked, sounding sincerely concerned for my well being. It was a bit unnerving since I couldn't think of really anyone who had shown such kindness towards me besides a select few and they didn't genuinely care. I looked to the steering wheel then down to my feet.  
" I don't need one..I'll be fine don't worry over me." I replied softly, the tone coming out a bit more solemn than intended. Looking out I watched the scenery change from the desert to the small town, in which I proceeded to direct the bot-car towards he direction of my house, however a few blocks away I had him stop. Opening the door I pushed my weary body out of the vehicle.  
" Hey woa where are you going? Optimus said for me to drive you home not halfway" he stated in protest, wheels following when I started to walk down the street. Couldn't this thing take a hint? I couldn't have anyone seeing me out at this time of night, not when they didn't know what I was doing; not to mention talking to a driverless car that could speak.  
"Listen, I can't have a bunch of people, especially my family, knowing I'm out like this. Just go back to your base or whatever the heck that is and leave me alone. Its not like I can't defend myself" my voie snapped before I could stop the tone from escaping my mouth. Even though I regretted it, I kept walking knowing that it was necessary. The last thing I heard of the young bot was the roar of his engine turning back down the way he first came. My gaze fell to the pavement below my slowly walking feet.  
For once I felt a cold chill in the warm Nevada air run down my back, signalling the rise of more things others would most likely not notice or see but I would. My hair picked up slightly, being matted and uneven from the mess I'd just been involved in. Hopefully they would forget I even existed. A while later I was hauling my sorry behind into the window of my room where I proceeded to call the ones whom had hired me for what I'd just done hours ago. The idiot thought I'd been there for his guns that had been stollen..how fortunate I can flatly lie my way through anything.  
Dialing the number, I reported a successful positive identity of the current fool they had been looking for and gave them the exact location. Cops? No, definitely not. Just someone you probably wouldn't want to piss off like this guy had done just weeks priar to running for his life like a coward. After confirming that the money had been transfered to my accounts the phone was hung up and thrown onto the side table. It was the next day after I'd collapsed exausted on my bed before my sore body could sneak to the bathroom and take a good shower.  
The hot water burned and stung while it washed over and into the open wounds, cleansing them. I gritted my teeth, bearing it till I was done. Sneaking back into my room I was quick with doctoring all of my wounds to cover for school. All I had to do now was attempt not to limp too much while I walked down the hallways. Pain pills? That wouldn't fly with me since I'd grown up seeing people torn apart by things like that. I'd rather sit there and bear it than have to be hooked on those things.  
With my leg being the way it was I didn't think driving was a good option so instead I drug my body onto the long yellow schoolbus which took me straight to school. I wished I would have skipped and stayed home. Walking around the large school had reopened the wound in my leg, making blood start to run down my leg; it was only just luck I always carried extra medical supplies in my backpack. I was more than thankful when the bell for the end of the school day rang, making me rise painfully from the desk and walk as hurriedly as my body could go towards the door.  
The hallway for some reason that day seemed to be overly crowded, making my journey to the top locker very difficult. I growled, becoming annoyed with the sluggish movements of the other students whom I began to impatiently shove out of my way. Once my books were put away I lammed the hard metal and ignored the pain shooting up my leg to jog down the hall and out the doors where I came to find my ride had just taken out of the parking lot. Damn it. I cursed and glared towards the long yellow bus before taking a deep breath.  
My amber eyes traced instinctively over the area as if to find something only to find three other kids waiting at the bottom of the steps. My brow raised towards them in slight curiosity. One stood on a motorcycle, male, while another but younger sat with a young foreign female speaking. I was nearly tempted to ask if they had a ride but refrained, making my feet instead lead me down the steps and to the sidewalk. I took my time, steps feeling like heavy bricks on the hard pavement; all of them sending horrible waves of pain into every one of my injuries. I dreaded the thoughts of the third day catching up with me.  
Apparently I was so concentrated on the agony my system was currently in I didn't hear the roar of a truck engine approaching from behind me. The familiar whistle didn't ring through my ears till it was right there beside me with its door open for me. My eyebrow rose, attention now turning to see a very large blue semi complete with red flames and no driver. Cautiously I approached it, face contorting into a stern expression.  
" Get in" came the leader, Optimus' voice from seemingly nowhere inside the truck. I looked around, making sure there was no one looking while I was having a conversation with a truck.  
" Look, I won't say anything about what I saw last night...I promise. " I stated, holding a hand up towards the large mac, standing my ground firmly before it. Still though its door remained open, the mind on the otherside seeming to take his words into consideration before speaking.  
" That is not why I am here. I came because you are now involved with us, and now may be in danger. It is my duty to bring you in for safety" He stated just as firmly, making my mind roll over the danger I'd just dealt with the night before, " Come with me and I will explain once we are there". It was a reasonable choice to hear him out wasn't it? They hadn't tried to murder me yet so it couldn't hurt, besides I had to admit the truck was pretty badass.  
Taking a breath I sighed, nodding before walking forwards to painfully drag my small frame into the seats of his cab. Not bad on the inside but even so I didn't dare sit in the driver's seat. It felt weird and awkward especially whenever the steeringwheel moved by itself while he drove down the road. What had I gotten myself into _now?_


	7. Chapter 6

Miko squealed her joy, throwing her arms in the air and hopping to her feet off the yellow couch. " I won I won! Haha! Finally I beat you!" her voice traveled through the hideout, slightly disturbing the medic in his concentration towards the over sized computer screens. Bulkhead smiled and congratulated his charge, while Bumblebee beeped his disappointment, wanting a rematch. Jack however who was sitting in a chair shook his head towards the overexcited group.  
" Come on guys its jut a game" he stated, though even he had to admit it was fun to play even though it wasn't too often anyone won against Raf. Miko turned to him, the face of the Asian girl still spread into a grin.

" You're just jealous that you didn't win!" she stated, high fiving Bulkhead on his over sized finger. Raf still sat there on the sofa though smiling, attempting to calm Bumblebee down whom had evidently not a fondness for losing. Arcee only shook her head, standing not far off watching the whole thing go down. It was more than amusing to watch the small squabbles and bickers the children often had with one another; the feme though looked around, quickly coming to notice their leader was oddly out of place.

" Where's Optimus..?" she asked, looking around the base where the larger bot normally was roaming somewhere. Shouldn't he have been at the computers deciphering out the location of the next relics? Or even looking for signals with Ratchet?

" He should be arriving soon, something came up that had to be...taken care of" Ratchet spoke up, never taking his optics away from the computer screens before him. Optimus was after all a Prime so a small human shouldn't be too much of a hassle. Then again the three they took care of here and had now came to call companions were living proof that that claim was completely wrong.

The others looked to one another, bewildered with this new development. What would the large autobot be doing without telling his team? Then again Optimus had been keeping things from them before and none of them had really ever said anything. Smokescreen looked to the rest of them from his place of quiet across the room, his thoughts running through rapidly at the possibilities. Could it be possible that Optimus...?

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a loud truck engine roaring down the metal halls to their right, drawing their attention to the semi pulling to a stop. The kids, curiously wanting to know where he had been, hopped from their place on the couch to hurry against the rail. Much to their confusion though, several pairs and optics watched the passenger side door open for someone other than Agent Fowler to jump down from the tall height of the seat. Jack, Miko and Rafael could only stare, eyes widening in shock when seeing this mysterious person as the girl seen only the day before at school! Her steps were slightly staggered for a few seconds, her long hair falling to the middle of her back before the large truck tranformed up into who they knew as Optimus Prime.

* * *

Its a little short but the other chapters will make up for this I promise!


	8. Chapter 7

The impact from jumping from the tall height of the truck sent seering pain through the injuries I'd worked so closely to attempt not to worsen all of that day. I stumbled slightly, catching myself to lean heavily on my good leg while watching the huge truck transform itself into the massive robot I'd come to know as Optimus Prime. Now that I looked up at him, it was a great possibility that if not careful I could be squished under a ton of metal.  
" You still haven't gone to a hospital?" the bot, known as Smokescreen asked, crossing his metalic arms as his eyes seemed to watch my every movement, though from what I could feel he wasn't the only one watching the stranger in the room. Something felt off in this huge place of iron, they were differing energies. Ignoring the feeling sinking down my back, or second guessing myself which generally got me in trouble more times than not, I looked towards the male robot whom had driven me almost home the night before.  
" Of course not..its not that bad" I replied, touching a hand to my ribs to make sure nothing was completely out of place. Even the red and white one shot me a look from his place at the over sized computers, shaking his head before turning back. I couldn't afford to go to the hospital, not whenever the foster parents I stayed with would be asking how I obtained such injuries.  
" So Um...anybody going to bother telling us what's going on here?" someone asked, making me turn to look up at the huge metal panel I'd been placed on just the night before. Standing there were the three kids I'd seen before waiting outside the school on the steps. What were they doing here? Furrowing my brows, I looked back up to Optimus whom knelt to offer his hand to me generously; what could I say, being in the shape I was there was no way my behind was going to make it up those steps.  
"Hey, aren't you the girl that we saw yesterday and earlier today?" the girl asked, raising an eyebrow and placing her index finger to her chin in thought. I pushed myelf from the seat of the metal hand, sucking in a breath when on instinct I caught my small fall on my right leg which nearly brought the sturdy body I'd built up to its knees. Luckily I caught myself and was able to stand with a straight face, looking over theirs which had now converted to mild concern in the current actions I'd committed.  
"Ah...Yeah..I think I've seen you around " I replied, not exactly knowing how I was suppose to answer a question like that. Hadn't they saw me in the halls before? That's right, I wasn't exactly the most known person within our highschool, only really seen as a ghost which in technical terms was exactly what I was. Their confusion, some thoughts and even a bit of what hovered around them traveled over my skin and through my mind. They wondered just who I was; maybe it was best that they not ever know.  
" Well...in any case I'm Jack" the older boy, whom looked around my age maybe a bit younger, said then motioned to the two friends that stood with him, " And this is Miko and Rafael". They each offered a wave of hello, earning one from me as well while I shifted my weight to attempt to put it on both of my feet failingly.  
" So I'm guessing that I'm involved in whatever this is? " I stated, working around saying my name as much as possible while turning to look at the large robots whom directed their attention towards us. They wondered why I wasn't afraid, how I could have been injured, who I was...all these thoughts and more running through not just the kids' minds but the lifeforms as well.  
"Indeed you are...and I fear that there is no way out" Optimus cut in, standing tall above the platform. I crossed my arms, turning to look up at the male lifeform.  
" Alright then...if I'm to be involved with this..I expect you to keep your word of telling me just what I've gotten myself mixed up in" I stated sternly, causing each of the other bots to look from one to he other with bewildered expressions to the tone I had taken.  
" Very well then.." the leader replied, nodding his massive head then looked to the red and white robot by the computers. It took seemingly forever as everything was explained to me, from the fact that these others were from a planet called Cybertron to the facts of this Megatron-person wanting to take over the world as we know it. Why hadn't I heard of this before? Oh yes because our government as usual keeps it a need to know basis.  
I stood there, absorbing all of the information my ears had been fed from Optimus' words. It was alot, it really was, and I should have probably been sent into hesterics and yelling that this was bullshit, none of it was real, and all of this was a bad dream but I had to admit that this was probably just the tip of the iceberg. The rest seemed to watch me, waiting for just such a reaction but instead I leaned my tired body against the rail.  
"So...I have to come here every day for protection..?" I asked, raising an eyebrow towards them now. He nodded, confirming this for me which left my lungs to intake a sigh. I would have to rearrange anything I would have going on right after school. Looks like the Snake of the Underground would have to work strict nights now.  
" Speaking of protection...how are your injuries you wouldn't allow the hospital to treat?" the female autobot asked, whom had been told to me went by the name Arcee. I looked to her, having not really wanted to speak of the current possible things that could be going wrong within my body.  
" Could be better..." I replied, earning a shaking head from Ratchet and the rest of the Autobots in the room. I touched over my ribs, having not been able to move them very well since my little fall back in the mansion the night before.  
" You're hurt..? Then shouldn't you go to the hospital?" Rafael now asked, taking a few steps towards me, his expression being of furrowed brows and a gestured hand to my movement. I only shook my head and stood from the rail.  
" Um...I think you have a problem going on there.." Miko spoke up now, placing a hand on her hip and pointing down with the other towards my appendage which I now looked down to see through the material was the dark crimson color of my blood seeping through. I gave a low curse, quickly kneeling to open my backpack and take out what supplies I had left to treat the still open wound with before rolling up the materiel of my jeans. Jaw clentching tightly, I began to unwrap the bandages which had already stuck to the skin around it ad mixed with the red liquid flowing from its large injury.  
"Oh my god..what happened to your leg?! " Jack exclaimed, nearly hurrying over with a grimace across his masculine features. It really kind of shocked me that this guy was actually showing some type of worry over a girl that he'd barely known for 15 minutes but at the moment I wasn't about to say anything since all I had to go on from him was what my abilities fed me and those weren't something I entirely trusted either.  
" I...I just had an accident is all" I replied, using the already dirtied bandages to catch any of the access crimson liquid that tried to escape. I'd done this many times over with worse injuries but it never made it any easier.  
" If I didn't know any better..I'd think whatever happened wasn't an accident but hey that's just me!" Miko said, giving of a tone that I recognized all too well. She was the type who would stick her nose in where it would get cut off one day.  
"Here, let me help with that" Jack offered, ignoring the girl to take the bandages from my hands to fold and press to the wound while catching some of the blood. I felt my muscles tense immensely, the contact to my skin sending trickles through my nerves from the fact he made one of the very few people who had ever touched me in my lifetime. I felt my cheeks heat a bit, in return making me bow my head slightly so that my bangs and hair covered it.  
" Ah...thanks.." I murmured, hurrying to get the ointment and bandages that I needed to wrap it, starting with my ankle then working up with snug,tight rounds.  
"Really...It looks like you need stitches...and crutches. I don't see how you're walking around with something like that" Rafael said, walking over to watch. He was right, but I had my reasons for not going for help when I needed it, and to my knowledge the underground didn't have an under the table doctor who wasn't crazed or totally overcharging.  
" Heh...in medical terms..I'd need much more" I replied, moving to stand, having to back away a bit to avoid Jack's hands catching my arm in attempts to assist me. Why was he trying to help me? They gave me questioning looks, not realizing what I meant. Sighing I pulled my jacket tighter around me and shook my head before limping around them to move towards the couch; I figured that standing and moving around wasn't the best of ideas since the wound has already opened once. A beeping sound caught my attention as I sat, turning my body to look at the one that was introduced to me as Bumblebee. I had no idea what he said though.  
" Bee's right.." Rafael said, the rest of them walking towards me now as I curled myself in the very corner of the couch so they could have plenty of room without smothering me with touch, " We never caught your name".  
I looked to them, then to the autobots who seemed to have caught the fact they were prying for my name. " Now that I think of it, we must have forgot to ask" Arcee inquired, leaning her weight to one hip with an expecting look, the same as the rest even on her metalic facial expression. I drew in a deep breath. Hey as long as they didn't know about the rest my name couldn't be that big of a deal could it? I hoped not.  
" Yeah..must have forgot" I replied, reaching back to run my hand through the dark tendrils of my long hair, looking towards them now, " My name's Arice".


End file.
